1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wheelchairs and, more particularly, to means on a wheelchair for effectively orienting and securing the pelvis of a person seated in a wheelchair.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Probably the most notorious device for securing a patient's hips to a wheelchair is a seat belt. Such a device, however, provides no lateral support or pelvic orientation capability. It merely functions as a restraint which, if secured tightly, inhibits blood circulation and possibly damages tissue.
Large torso pads mounted on the sides of a wheelchair are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,586. The pads are used for correcting scoliosis. Similar pads are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,537. These pads are adjustable and can impinge the sides of one's torso, hip or thigh. Such lateral support is an improvement over seat belts, but gives no frontal stability or overall pelvic control.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,919 describes a wheelchair that provides a variety of posture support pads for a patient's neck, shoulders, trunk and thighs. Again, however, the trunk pads simply contact the sides of a user's hips and thereby provide only limited pelvic support.